Where can you have a good drink in Zakopane?

In Cocktail Room at Le Scandale, ul. Zaruskiego 5, 300 metres from Krupówki. The menu covers more than a dozen cocktails on branded spirits, from Grey Goose to Patrón, a separate tiki menu and alcohol-free cocktails. The bartenders also make drinks that are not on the menu, built to the guest's taste.

When is Cocktail Room open?

On Thursdays and Sundays from 21:00 to 2:00 and on Fridays and Saturdays from 21:30 to 4:00. Earlier in the day a drink can be ordered in Aperitif Bar at the same address, open daily from 9:00. After midnight the evening naturally moves to Music Loft.

How much do cocktails cost in Cocktail Room?

The drinks with a listed price cost from 34 to 45 PLN, for example Cocoa Negroni and Jungle Bird at 45 PLN each, and the alcohol-free Zero Tiki at 34 PLN. The full price list for all drinks is available at the bar. The prices match cocktail bars in large cities.

Are there alcohol-free cocktails?

Yes, the menu has five zero per cent drinks: Free Sour and Cucumber Free Collins in a low sugar version, Floreale Hugo, Vibrante Spritz and Free Star Martini. These are full compositions on Monin bases and alcohol-free Martini vermouths, not juice with syrup. There is also an alcohol-free tiki drink, Zero Tiki is Still Fun.

What is a Pornstar Martini?

It is a cocktail on vanilla vodka with passion fruit and a glass of prosecco, one of the most ordered drinks in the world. In Cocktail Room we make it on Grey Goose, and next to it we serve our own sharper version, Pornstar Scandal, on Bacardí Reserva Ocho rum with chilli and tabasco.

Which drink is the speciality of Zakopane?

Halny Ritual from the Tiki Prelude menu, based on Śliwowica Łącka plum brandy at 70 per cent with pomegranate, lime and Monin Ruby chocolate. It is the only cocktail on the menu that could only have been created in the mountains. It captures the direction of the whole menu well: classic techniques, local character.

Is there a dress code for Cocktail Room?

Yes, a dress code and door selection apply, just as in Music Loft. In practice it is enough to avoid sportswear and trekking boots. Women enter from 18 years of age, men from 21.

Can you come without a booking?

Yes, walking in from the street is possible, but on Fridays and Saturdays in high season the tables and the seats at the bar fill up quickly. A table can be booked in advance by phone on +48 530 331 531 or online through the floor plan on the website. A booking guarantees a seat for the whole night.

Where to have a drink in Zakopane, a guide to cocktail bars

Drink bar or cocktail bar

In Polish these names are often used interchangeably, but in practice they mean two different things. A drink bar is usually the bar at a venue where people drink simply: vodka with juice, whisky with cola, beer. A cocktail bar focuses on drinks mixed to a recipe, with fresh citrus, syrups and bitters.

There is one more linguistic trap. The phrase "cocktail bar" in the Polish internet often leads to patisseries and ice cream parlours, because that is what old milk bars serving desserts used to be called. If you are looking for drinks, the more precise search is "drink bar" or simply "where to have a drink".

How to spot a good cocktail bar

A menu with specific brands. If a drink description simply says "gin", it means the venue does not want to boast about what it pours. Good bars list the brand: Bombay Sapphire, Grey Goose, Hennessy, Patrón.

Fresh citrus. Ask about the lime juice. The answer "we press it as we go" is a good sign for the whole menu.

Ice. A large, clear cube for drinks stirred in glass is a signal that someone thought about dilution and temperature.

A bartender who asks questions. If the answer to "what do you recommend" is another question about what you like to drink, you are in a good place.

Genuine alcohol-free options. Not juice with syrup, but a considered composition. This is one of the fastest growing categories in bars today.

Cocktail Room: two menus and an alcohol-free section

Cocktail Room is the second of the three Le Scandale spaces at Zaruskiego 5. The menu is split into two parts.

Alternatives Vol. 2 is twelve drinks where classics meet variations. You will find Pornstar Martini on Grey Goose with passion fruit and prosecco, its sharper version Pornstar Scandal on Bacardí Reserva Ocho rum with chilli and tabasco, Side Car on Hennessy VS, Negroni on Bombay Sapphire and Cocoa Negroni with cacao blanco and prosecco. Alongside them sit Singapore Sling, Cherry & Caffe on tequila with Patrón XO Cafe, Paloma, Jungle Bird, Espresso Martini on cold brew and Tequila Cafe Tonic.

Tiki Prelude is six drinks in a tiki mood, including Golden Rift on two rums with Planteray OFTD Overproof at 69 per cent, Coconut Tide, Mango Current and Banana Banana. The most interesting is Halny Ritual, where Śliwowica Łącka plum brandy at 70 per cent meets pomegranate and Monin chocolate. It is the only drink on this menu that could only have been created in the Tatras.

The 0 per cent options are five alcohol-free cocktails: Free Sour and Cucumber Free Collins in a low sugar version, Floreale Hugo, Vibrante Spritz and Free Star Martini.

Opening hours

Cocktail Room works on Thursdays and Sundays from 21:00 to 2:00 and on Fridays and Saturdays from 21:30 to 4:00. If you want to start earlier, Aperitif Bar at the same address opens at 9:00 in the morning. After midnight the evening naturally moves to Music Loft, which plays until 5:00.

What to order the first time

You like it dry and strong: Negroni or Side Car
You like it fruity and sparkling: Pornstar Martini
You want something you will not drink anywhere else: Halny Ritual
Coffee at any hour: Espresso Martini
Alcohol-free but with character: Floreale Hugo

Practical details

Address: ul. Zaruskiego 5, 34-500 Zakopane, 300 metres from Krupówki
Cocktail Room: Thu and Sun 21:00-2:00, Fri and Sat 21:30-4:00
Bookings: +48 530 331 531
A dress code and door selection apply